Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-19
the BASEBALL RECORD.
The Fight Between Detroit,
Chicago, and Boston Grow
ing Sharper.
Changes in the Detroit Team-Other
Base. Ball News and
Gossip.
rcH1cAao CORRESPONDENCE

rCH1CAGO CORRESPONDENCE
Fourteen weeks of the League champion.
ship season have passed, and the teams in
the race, from the leaders to the tail-end-
ers are playing better ball, upon the aver
age, than has been known before in the
history of the game professionally. In the
opinion of nine out Of ten Chicagoans
nothing short of the collapse of the team
can prevent the White Stockings from
winning the pennant again this season.
This is most gratifying change in the
drift of public opinion and sentiment, for
not more than six weeks ago an indignant
public in this city was freely expressing its
disgust at the policy Of President spald-
ing and Capt. Arson in releasing what was
looked upon as the most valuable men in
the team, and thus running the chances Of
the city for even decent standing in this
years race. Messrs. Arson and Spalding,
however, builded wiser than the public
knew, with the result that Chicago has
probably the most capable ball team to-
day that it ever had. The race
thus far hos been desperate struggle
from the start. With such strong clubs as
Pittsburg, Philadelphia, New York, Bos-
ton, and Detroit ahead of him, Anson's
task to pilot his own nine to the top was
thought to be too great for the famous
captain to accomplish. But he has done
it, thanks to his own matchless guidance
| to-day he stands the same excellent chance
Of winning the flag as he did at this time
last year. The squirt made by the Chica-
gos is without parallel in the history of
the league. 1t is record such as will prob
ably not be made again in years. Letters of
congratulatory nature have been pouring
in upon Arson from all sections of the
country for more than month past, and
there seems not to be a sign remaining Of
the condemnatory and critical spirit that
existed everywhere against Arson and the
club at the outset of the season.
| HOME AGAIN.
The champions returned last week from
their second Eastern trip, and are now upon
the Chicago grounds for series of games
with all the Eastern clubs and three games
nant ball in every game. The three bat
teries are in splendid form, and every man
in the team has got his eyes on the ball.
Sullivan, Pfeffer, Clarkson and Baldwin
have picked up in their batting the past
week, while Burns. Van Haltren and Will
hanson have dropped off little. The
most pronounced feature of the teams play
is the feld-work of Pfetfer, Burns and
Williamson. The latter is without doubt
the finest short stop in the League. His
play, which was always good, has become
phenomenal, and is attracting attention sill
over the country. Glasscock's title of
"King of Short Stops" is rapidly waning in
the light of Williamson's work. Prefer is
lo1c al Ill Al
may be said of Burns. The out-feld ap-
livan is covering more ground than sum-
mer squash-vine, and Ryan, in center, is
attending to nearly everything that comes
his way.
BosToN's WORK.
As for Boston, the team next to Chicago
in the race, there seems to be something
between its players and winning ball
which even the influence of the great and
only Kelly can not dispel. 1t seems to be
peculiarly unfortunate away from home.
When the boys from the Hub came West
early in the summer Kelly got SO badly
crippled that he could not play. Several
other members Of the team were suffering
from injuries. The boys had not been
away from home two days on the present
trip when Hornung was taken ill and had
to be left in New York. Kelly is now
doubled up with cramps, and is scarcely
able to play. With Kelly and Hornung
out OF condition, there isn't much
left in the Boston team to whip. The
club will be in great luck if it regains the
ground:.it has lost during the past week.
THE OTHER CLUBS.
1t would be we'll for everybody to keep
an eye on Philadelphia and New York.
These clubs are not SO very far behind, and,
what is more interesting, they are playing
stronger ball as the season advances. One
or both of these clubs will cause some
trouble. Of the tail-enders Pittsburgh
past week. The fielding of this team has
been very fine all season, but they are still
lamentably weak with tho stick. If this
club had had half dozen good batters at
the beginning of the season it would have
hand in the fight to-day. Indianapolis
and Washington are showing marked
improvement in playing strength, the
Eastern club in particular playing some of
the greatest ball recorded this year.
great many people seem to have made
up their minds that Detroit is going to
take very big tumble in the race. One
Chicago paper in particular expresses the
opinion that it will be beaten Out
by Chicago, Boston, and New York,
and that even Philadelphia will give 1t a
tough tussle before the season ends. In
the opinion of your correspondent this is o
mistaken idea. In the face of all this sorl
of predictions that have been made for q
month past, Detroit has gone right along
playing good ball, defeating the League 3
best teams, and staying at the tor
of the string in the race. and
the probabilities would, to an unprecedented
mind, seem to point to its continuing as Il
is unless Chicago alone among ali the
other clubs can overtake it.
During the past week the management
OF the Wolverines has spent no less than
s3,ooo in securing new players, fact
which proves more conclusively than any,
thlng else that the club intends staying in
the League for not only the present SEASON
but SO many more as f. choosas IT,